The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
THE Mutare City Council is evicting former Town Clerk – Mr Obert Muzawazi – from its house in Murambi, in a move that has sparked a serious labour dispute as the ex-chief executive officer is claiming the same as part of his exit package.
Mr Muzawazi resigned on January 26 last year, amid a litany of corruption allegations levelled against him which resulted in public demonstrations at the Civic Centre.
More than a year since he left office, the municipality has not paid him his severance package and the matter is now before the Labour Court.
In a letter dated March 7, 2017, a copy of which this paper has, the local authority through its Housing Director, Mr Stenard Mapurisa, gave Mr Muzawazi up to April 3, 2017 to vacate the council house at Number 2, Shangani Drive, Murambi.
The house is to be occupied by the new Town Clerk, Mr Joshua Maligwa, who is to start work on the same date.
“Council at its special meeting held on February 28, 2017 resolved that a notice of eviction from council house which you are currently residing be given to make room for the incoming Town Clerk.
“It is against this background that I am requesting you to vacate the house before April 3, 2017,” reads the letter.
Interestingly, Mr Muzawazi said he wanted to be allocated the immovable property as part of his terminal benefits.
Since July last year he has been trying to make council pay him his dues, but to no avail.
He is demanding $166 000 in cash as part of his severance package plus other benefits which include 100 percent medical aid cover, school fees for his two children and the allocation of the council house which he is currently living in as a tenant.
On July 25 last year he wrote to council, through his Harare-based lawyers, Sawyer and Mkushi, demanding payment.
“Our client instructs us that he served as a Town Clerk at Mutare City Council from June 22, 2007 to January 26, 2016 when he tendered his resignation.
“The resignation was by mutual consent, parties agreed that Mutare City Council was going to calculate and pay severance remuneration and other ancillary payments commensurate with the post of the Town Clerk.
“We are duly instructed that our client has not received any payment to date.
“We are hereby instructed to demand, as we hereby do, payment of the following amounts which should make up the exit package for our client; severance salary $75 000, payment of leave days (three months) $10 500, payment of salary arrears from January 2015 to January 2016 plus performance bonuses (14 months) $49 000, nine months service for nine years served $31 500.”
After council failed to honour the demands, Mr Muzawazi lodged his complaint with the Labour Court on November 10 last year.
Reads the letter: “On August 10, 2016, the city council responded to our demand and undertook to do necessary calculations relating to salary arrears, unpaid leave, terminal benefits among others. . .same was not done and to date the city council remains indebted to our client in the amount stated in the demand. We hereby lodge a complaint on behalf of our client in the following terms; non-payment of terminal benefits, non-payment of accrued leave and non-payment of salary arrears.”
The case is now at the Labour Court and for the past two weeks both parties made their presentations before a labour officer and they are now waiting for the outcome.
Sources privy to the case revealed that council was offering $20 000 to the former Town Clerk and refused to part with its Murambi house.
“The councillors are saying the municipality cannot afford to meet his demands. As for the house they are citing a ministerial circular which barred local authorities from giving immovable properties to officials as exit packages,” said the source.
